Colin Brown Photographer: Bloghttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog
en-us(C) Colin Brown Photographer (Colin Brown Photographer)Mon, 12 Mar 2018 07:19:00 GMTMon, 12 Mar 2018 07:19:00 GMThttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/img/s/v-5/u544800915-o567112791-50.jpgColin Brown Photographer: Bloghttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog
80120Environs of the National Gallery of Australiahttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2018/3/environs-of-the-national-gallery-of-australia
On view within the concrete, steel and glass of the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), in Canberra, are many works of the national art collection.

NGA is located within the "parliamentary triangle" and along the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. The grounds are open with a mix of Australian vegetation, sculpture, installations and architecture for all to enjoy. In this blog I'm sharing pictures and some of the experience I so enjoy on a hot summers day.

FlagsFlags of many nations on poles around Lake Burley Griffin

Flags of many nations on poles around Lake Burley Griffin

Lake through an avenuetrees and greenery overhang concrete pathway with bicyclist pedling toward the lake

]]> (Colin Brown Photographer)architectureartsbuilt environmentcanberracapital of australiaflagssculpturetravelhttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2018/3/environs-of-the-national-gallery-of-australiaMon, 12 Mar 2018 07:05:24 GMTWandering - Smoky Capehttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/9/wandering---smoky-cape
Smoky Cape lighthouse has been guiding mariners for over 100 years. It sits on a headland, high above the southern end of Trial Bay which was once an important safe harbour, about half way between Sydney and Brisbane.

fresh airSmokey Cape Light keepers cottage public but private and with sea views

SouthLooking south from Smokey Cape Lighthouse: Hat Head National Park

WhalesWhale breaching in Trial Bay, north of the lighthouseSafe HarbourTrial Bay view, across the bay, of mountains with fisherman in boat

]]> (Colin Brown Photographer)architectureaustraliahat headhistorylighthousemaritimenational parknew south walessmoky capehttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/9/wandering---smoky-capeWed, 27 Sep 2017 03:56:03 GMTRenewable energy - Capital Wind Farmhttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/7/renewable-energy---capital-wind-farm
In Australia, our development of renewable energy has been slow compared to some parts of the world. However, near the nations capital, Canberra, Capital Wind Farm has been generating electricity from the wind for some years.

20091109-0216-FullRes100pc.jpgCapital Wind Farm

Arranged in “strings” along the hills above Lake George near Canberra, are 67 Suzlon wind turbines that are the prime movers of the Capital Wind Farm. The total combined capacity of these machines is 140.7MW (megawatts). For more info see => Capital Wind Farm

Back in 2009, I was studying photojournalism, to extend an interest in imagery and stories. I was looking for something that really interested me, to add to my portfolio. Having worked for a company that designed and built coal fired thermal power stations, many years earlier, when I was studying engineering, these alternative electricity generation systems had long fascinated me and Capital Wind Farm was being built in the region in which I lived.

At the time, many of the turbines had been erected but work was still in progress with commissioning planned for early in 2010. With permission of the head contractor and facilitated by the project manager, I got access to the site to document some of the activity. In appropriate safety gear, I was driven around by the project manager for a unique view of plant and folk working.

The pictures that follow include those from on-site; but also, broader views from locations around the district and even include wildlife and grazing animals. Not entirely satisfied that I’d captured the scale and impact; I charted a light aircraft, had the passenger door removed and viewed from above. The day was stormy, certainly not ideal for clear documentation but it did provide dramatic moody light and some interesting imagery which I think, now eight years later, are worth including. (btw hanging out of a small over-wing aircraft, bouncing around between storms at minimum speed is an experience 😊).

A local with the old and the new. Nothing new in using wind to provide motive force but the technology has improved. This Alpaca is more concerned by me than windmills.

20091109-0036-FullRes100pc.jpgA local with the old and the new. Wind has been used for power for a long time.

Blades ready to be erected. Each blade is about 40 meters long (from memory)

20091109-0167-FullRes100pc.jpg40m long blades ready to erect onto the 60m towers
Wind breaks are really useful for sheep, especially at lambing, in the cold southern highlands. Wind turbines sit on the hills and ridges above.

20091109-0180-FullRes100pc.jpg

20091109-0187-FullRes100pc.jpg

Wedgetail eagles riding the thermals above turbines. These guys range over something like 500klm. Living up in the mountains of he Great Dividing range, I used to see pairs from time to time. Occasionally, they'd be with their fledglings. I can watch these birds for hours.

]]> (Colin Brown Photographer)alternative energyaustraliaelectricitygreen powerlake georgerenewable energysouthern highlandswind farmwind turbinehttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/7/renewable-energy---capital-wind-farmSun, 23 Jul 2017 03:40:05 GMTAnne in the Brindabellashttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/3/anne-in-the-brindabellas
It was summer, the sun was hot and the mountain breeze refreshing. Anne Duffy enjoys wandering nude around the side of a mountain deep in the Brindabella range. Grasses brush against her legs. Eucalypt trees invite climbing. The sun burns her skin but the views are exhilarating.

In some pictures, Snowy Mountains and Kosciuszko national park can be seen receding into the distance. If you look closely you might even see Tantangara Reservoir in one. In others, we see back into the Australian Capital Territory.

]]> (Colin Brown Photographer)actart nudeaustralian capital territorybeautybrindabellacanberracanberra regionkosciuszko national parklandscapemodelmountainsnude in naturenude photographyoutdoorsrangessensualsnowy mountainssouthern highlandshttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/3/anne-in-the-brindabellasSun, 05 Mar 2017 13:11:14 GMTAerial review of Carwoola Firehttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2017/2/aerial-review-of-carwoola-fire
Pictures, that follow, show the burnt area of the Carwoola Fire from the air on the morning of the 24th February.

At time of posting, police and RFS investigations are underway. My understanding is that the Fire started 17th Feb 2017, near grazing property Taliesin, in the hills above and to the south east of Queanbeyan. Fire spread rapidly to the south east pushed along by a dry North Westerly wind.

Fire was declared Section 44, State of Emergency, under the NSW Rural Fire Act, with both urban-rural fringe and grazing properties in it's path. Considerable State funded resources, including the Very Large Air Tanker and C130 Hercules air tanker and rotary wing aircraft were deployed from Sydney as well as RFS volunteer crews from our neighbouring zones and Australian Capital Territory to supplement Lake George Zone effort.

Fire spread through through Radcliffe and Widgewa localities before crossing the Molonglo River onto the Hoskingtown plain. Fire was eventually contained and at the most easterly edge nearly reached the abandoned Captains Flat railway line, south of Hoskinstown and within sight of the Forbes Creek and Rossi communities and Tallaganda National Park, higher in the Great Dividing range.

A number of houses were destroyed as well as shire council and rural infrastructure. There were some injuries but no-one was killed.

We flew from Canberra airport to Hoskinstown and then basically flew counter clockwise back to the start of the fire around the western and southern flanks with some particular attention to the Hoskinstown edge and Widgewa road areas.

All pictures in the following slide show can be viewed individually --> http://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/carwoolfireaerial

]]> (Colin Brown Photographer)body languageeditorialfriendsfriendshiphelmut newtoninspirednegotiationnudenude photographyrelationshipwomenhttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2016/9/negotiationSun, 25 Sep 2016 11:44:05 GMTWalking boots, red Mazda and the southern highlandshttp://colinbrownphotographer.com.au/blog/2016/8/walking-boots-red-mazda-and-the-southern-highlands
It's winter and I've been wandering around the Southern Highlands at the bottom of the Australian Capital Territory. I'm exploring areas, looking for edges, through which I can access snow in high granite country. With the trend of increasingly warmer climate and the variability of weather in this part of Aus', snow can be pretty 'hit and miss'. For the present, I'm happy to point red Mazda into the mountains, pull on my walking boots, hoist my waterproof camera pack and have a look. Thought this little wander and piece of farming history might be of interest.